Switch-operating device.



'G. T. SCHAEPER. SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1913.

1,1 1 6,330. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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fJLR'RV.) Fr: :1- M5 L0 PHOIO L1H. WASHINIZYON. u (7 CARL r. SCHAEFER, or HONOL LU, TERBITORYOF HAWAIII.

SWITCH-OPERATING :onvrcn.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 24, 1913. SeriaINo. 791,602.

To all whom it may concern: 1 Be it known that I, CARL T. Sormnrnn, a citizen of the United States, residingat Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating lowing is a specification. i

This inventionrelates to a switch operating device adapted for use on street railway cars to be operated by themotorman for the purpose ofopening and closinga track switch, the object of the invention being to provide a simple, reliable, efficient and easily-manipulated type of switchopycrating or throwing device which may be readily installed upon conventional styles of cars and which is applicable for use in throwing either right or left hand switches.

The invention consists of the novel fea tures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a sectional view of the portion of the end of a street car showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a front elevation through the. device, showing the box or casing and floor or platform of the carin section. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing modified form of treadle or foot piece.

Referring to the drawing 1 designates the floor or platform of a street car, below which is arranged abox or casing 2. This box or casing is provided with bearings 3 for-a vertical rod or shaft 4, and is fitted at its upper end in an opening .5 in the floor and suitably fastened to a supporting plate dash board of the car,

6 secured to the floor, through which plate the rod or shaft 4 also extends. The said rod or shaft 4 is alsojournaled at its upper end in a bearing bracket 6* fastened to the whereby it is firmly supported in position. i

The rod or shaft 4 carries at its lower end a wedge-shaped switch throwing projection, shoe or tip 7, which normally lies slightly above the plane of the track, and

is adapted to be depressed to enter between a fixed track rail and the tongue of the switch so that the latter may be thrown. The said projection, shoe or tip 7 is slidably off set from the plane of the shaft so that it is applicable to the car for use in throwing switches to the right or left.

Devices, of which the folvertically and oscillated about the axis of the shaftlnfthe bearings 3 and plate 6, and

is normally sustained by a coiled spring 8 arranged within the box or casing 2. As shown, the spring. surrounds the rod or shaft between the bottom of the casing and an abutment disk shaft, and exerts its expansile energy on said abutment head or diskto hold the shaft 9 secured to the rod or Patented News, 1914..

The rod or shaft 4 is mounted to slide in an elevated position, whilepermitting of i its being depressed to adjust the shoe 7 for action. The head or disk .9 is'adaptedto abut against the plate 6 to limit the upward movement of the rod or shaft and normally maintain the parts in a prescribed elevated position. The upper end of the rod or shaft carries a crankhandle 10, whereby it may be oscillated, and below said crank handle a treadle or foot piece 11 is fixed to the rod or shaft in such relation to the plate 6 that it will abut against said plate and limit the downward movement of the shaft when the shoe 7 is depressed to working position. 11 may be in the form of a disk as shown This treadle or foot piece in Figs. 1,, 2 and 3, arranged to surround the rod or shaft so that it may be engaged by either foot or it may be in the form of a treadle or foot piece 12 having right and left hand foot portions, as shown in Fig. 4.

In practice the device is normally supported above the level of the track, so that the shoe 7 will travel clear of all obstructions. When the motorman desires to throw a switch, he brings his car to a stop at a point immediately in rear of the switch tongue and then depresses the shaft to lower the shoe 7 to working position so that it will enter the space between the tongue and the track rail. WVhile the shaft is still held depressed the motorman by turning the crank handle 10 may oscillate, the shoe 7 in the proper direction to throw the switch tongue. Upon releasing the treadle the spring 8 will thereupon return the device to normal position.

It willof course be understood that by means of the device a switch tongue may be thrown in either direction to set it for the proper travel of the car in either direction at the points of inter-section of tracks. The spring may be fastened as shown, to the box or casing and the shaft or abutment in such manner that it will be tensioned when to normal position after actuation.

Having'thus' described my invention, I

claim The combinationwlth a car, of a box. or 1 casing arranged below the floor of the ca r and fitted at its upper end in an opening said casing having a bearing o 'sefi-.-* end, a bearing plate secured to thefioor of the .car and supporting said 'bOX or casing,.and-,also dosing the top; thereof, an intermediate bearing member p avithin thebox or casingibetiveenrsaid bearing openinghand bearing plate, a rod or], through said bearing plate and intermediate vbearing membefr, said rodor shaft therein ing at its lower shaft extending vertically,

bearing opening,

extending below the cas ng andabove the 1 car l floor and being slidably sand axially movable, a tongvuemh roiving shoenpon the I the p vard movement of the spring inclosed in the casing about the shaft be lQWQIILQIld of said rod or shaft, an abutment upon the shaft Within thebox or casing adapted to bear against the plate to limit shaft, a coiled the intermediate bearing and abutment and acting on the latter to hold theshaft normally"-.elevated, a foot piece whereby the shaft may be depressed and adapted to abutagainst the plate to limitzthe downward movement of said shaft,

and iawh-andle wherebythe shaft, maybe oscillated about its. axis. to adjust theshoe laterally.

" .'fII1;tGStiII10Ily1 whereof affix my signature in presence ofAtWo Witnesses.

1 CIA-BL T. SCHAJEFEB.

WVitnesses: V v

1P. IL'BURNETUJE,

Gr. E..;Somnrnn.

:Eop'ies Iofth is patent maybe-obtained for five tents eacliyby addressing {the C0mmi ssioner of Patents, 

